Infant&#39;s sleeping garment combination



L. L. STEIGERWALD INFANTS SLEEPING GARMENT COMBINATION Dec. 7, 194s.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 19, 1944 wam/az;

Dec. 7, 1948. 4 LQ STEIGERWLD 2,455,884

INFANTS SLEEPING GARMENT COMBINATION 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 19, 1944 Patented Dec. 7, 1948 I'NFANTSisLEEPINGf-GAR'MEN-T l fooMBINATIoN 1Liiieransteigeiitvaid, Chicago; Ill. dipplcationprl 19, 1944;SerialNo.i531,737

11 This invention relates vgarment combination, and vmore particularly to .a garment device for keepinga-child-in proper .-fposition in: bed Y and .properlyabeneath thev covers whileppreventing the child from injuringitself.

.il'iorts-d have heretofore `been #made :to :construct l,devices for restraining a baby'forsznall .childr in -ebedzso that i'the .child `"will, remain covered :and .protected 4against cold fand exposure. .HHoWever,

infsuch devices, it lhas not been possible ftopro- 't0 fvide freedom-of movement forthe childjbeneath ithe covers -while attthe. samegtime ysecurely holding l:the child beneath the' covers.v This isrparticularly true as =to the turningiover' of the @child in bed beneath the covers. It-is particularly :important in Ya :devicecof this :typexthat vra ,child yb =,:'-able:to"turnxover readily without danger of entanglement `in the coversfand. at Atheasamriev-.ti-rie ,Without .permitting ithe child Ato escape from be- ;neath fthe covers. In liadd-ition, priorvdevicesq-in fmany'instances havepermitted the childfto become entangled in straps, fharness, etc., .fand fin 'some cases children have been` seriously r:injured fbecausefof l'such entanglement.

It; isf'anfobject of the present invention fto pro .vide'ra Icombination device which' will ,satisfy the :requirements Yas above `outlined-:andwhich-twill abe weective inxholding ithe Ychild in thefproperfposi- :tion :during :sleeping periods. f Another 'f obj ect .wis .Lto provide afsleeping` garment-.combination which will leave Vthe child with the :greatest ,possible 'freedom ;ofy movement Awhile atr the fsa-me A#time fkeep hm'ffrom getting clear of the :bed-covers. A specific nobject :is `t0 provide alcom'bination devioezin whicha'body garment unitfisasecured fto the f .bed covers athroughv; -a -ftie :member: which rextendszfromtlie crotch of the'bodyqunitfso that as the child turns the tie member 'Will twistl-but fvwillqnotentangle the childslegscrfrarms.y I

j Further obj eets :and .advantages of .fthe rinven- :tionvwill beapparent as the `specificationf proceeds.

:Preferred embodiments lof the 'inventionrare l:illustrated `in the .accompanyingsdravvingain .Whichf i,

1-is :aaperspectiveview offthexunderfside :of the; improved device; .Fig z 2, vay perspectivev view the same as'Fig. f1 except-with the-:device..opened and the vbodyunit andA tie: member turnedy back; Fig. A3, `arperspective view :ofithe body unit .and

' y .zfclaims. (cries-134).?

to`-an-infantissleeping mi .whicnasillustratedris iormedofeatopsheet II,

side .flaps '.I 2 iand -.I.3,..and thelovverfend ap I4. v,'Ihedzop Asheet l I ,is,joined with thei'lap I2 along ,ftheflongtudinalseam .15' and eis joined withthe flap I3 along the longitudinal seam.I6. .Thefend ilap .i I 4 isattached v.the .sheet I iI by vthe seam `.IL `r'Slilitably,.-,the-sheet Il fandtapsvIZ, I3 .and VIll Qmay al1 .be formedfrom .a-.single sheet, of fabric material. t

, .The sheet/II .isprovided With the-.longitudinal 'plaits `r-`I8 lgand I9 .which are .preferably located .-just...adjacent.the.edgesofthis-sheet .and `adjoiny in euse, .the-cover.vvi11lie,at, :and -the ysheet II Will present-.afrectangularoutline of .,neatzappear- .anca-:but'fwhen the I-cover is lplacedover a child in the =use v of the device,.the -plaits I8, and-.I9 Will l expand; permitting "the :sheet :Ilto bulge ,lup-

wardly, allowing fample room for movement of theychildsfarms, legsfetc. '.Ifhough thestrlicture -in Which'the-,plaitsl and ISfare-.floeatedf asthey are is gpreferred, y plaiting frneans of .ffullnessesy Vof any desired form may be used, `andpsuch may "be :located fal'ong the fsurfacefof :thesheet flI' at ianysuitable:point f VThe top edge offthe: sheet- H may. be provided vwith fthe ehem-t 20,` andrextending from Vthe .base of this'hem at Yonersiderare theA tiestraps 2 I and fextendingfffrom the other @side ofthe-sheet at the .base of the hem -20 arevthetiefstraps 22.- The rtiezstr'apsI` 2-3"-.and:24feXten`d fromthe bottom corners of the sheet, and each of these tiestraps may fbe=securedzto fthecorners of Athetbed or pen structure. v :Anothersetrof-tie straps 13,9 is attached tothe 'cover atl-.thezbottombcentenof :the sheet I I. ",This *set offtiefstraps mayrbe securedto a bedframe and r.vvill serve ,ato receive the fstrain .occasioned sxbyifanymull'ron*the'center ,of-the sheet `duegto the tie memberfl .later tofbe described-. .-iAspindieated'at:Figfz oli-.the.drawingaithesheet IIJ has on its under side a strip 23 whichlissewed i150`y ythefsheet .I :I at a: point.l about the;` middle -be- -tweentheztwo fsidesvand@ spaced `from the 'bottom fof thezish-eet. 'Tioathisfstiiprarezsecured the loops 24 which are '.vadapted '1 to :'reoeive Ibuttons. APref-- .'erably, another fseries v*of loops c25 is secured 1v in .like manner at a :different spacing'from thefbot- -tornLof the sheetfrand inftheifembodiment illus"- r`trated .thereiis azthirdfseries ..0f. loops :265 secured latithe bottom .zedgefoftthexsheet. -Any number '-of :such loopattachmentsi'may lbe employed as desir-edreams the spacings'may bevaried. fIfrdeportion.

sired, any other suitable fastening means may be substituted for the button and loop arrangement contained in the embodiments illustrated.

Referring more particularly to Figs, 2 and 3 of the drawings, the body unit 21 may comprise a front portion 28 which is adapted to extend over the childs chest andabdomen and the back portion 29 which is -adaptedtto extend over the childs back. The armholes 3|) and 3| are/provided through which the childs arms may protrude, and the back is split longitudinally at 32, tied by the bows 33. Any suitable means for opening the garment and for releasably closing the opening may be employed. l

As shown in Fig. 3, the back portion 29 extends downwardly over the childs buttocks and at its end portion is provided with buttonholes 34. I'he front portion 28 extends downwardlyl over the childs abdomen and is provided with the buttons 35 which may engage the buttonholes 34 to secure the frontl and `rear members in a crotch This structure provides theopenings and 31 through which the infantfs feet may extend. Sleeve and leg members 'may be utilized with the body unit, if desired. f

The body unit is intended to t snugly about the childs body and is intended to move as the child moves. Preferably.' this body unit is unrestricted and not attached to the bed'or bed clothes, except for the attachment of' the tie member to the crotch portion. It will be noted that the infant can in no way escape from the garment when it is closed aroundhis body, and ,it is not possiblel for the child to `releasehis arms or legs from the openings in this body unit as it would be possible for him to do in the case of the jacket or nightgown type of garment.

The piece forming the `front portion` 28 may extend downwardly beyond the buttons 35 to form the tie member `4i). This tie'member may be of any desired form orrcontour.v 'At its lower end, it may be provided with fastening means, such as the'buttons 38, which are adapted to engage the loops 24, 25 or 25 on theun'der side "of the sheet I I'. 1

Though it is preferable that the' tie member 4l) be formed by an integral extension ofthe front body portion 28, as is illustratedfinFig. 3l, it is also satisfactory andefcientfto have 'the' tie member 4B formed as an integral extension of the rear body portion 23; and 4in-this case the front body portion would b'e'releasably :attached by suitable means to the rear portion 23 to form the crotch. f v

The tie member 40 need not necessarily be an extension oi the same piece which forms the front or back of the body structure,'but if de sired may be a separate and distinct piece which is attached to the'body unit in any suitable way and extends from the crotch portion. The ends of such a piece may be attached to the body unit at any point thereon, but the piece should extend from and be secured tothe crotch'portion of the body garment.

Preferably, the tiel member 40 isoi such length that when attached to one of the loopsl 24, 25. or 26, and the cover l0 drawn'up inthe position shown in Fig.' 1, the childs head will extend beyond the top edge of the cover sheet Il.V 'The loops at diierent'spacings along the sheet Ill provide for different sized body portions and tie members so that different sized children can be accommodated and so that the cover will accom modate the growth of a baby or child. Also, by

having the loops 24, 25 and 26 at; differentrlon .to do. this.

gitudinal spacings, the attendant may place the child so that only the head is beyond the cover sheet or so that the head and chest also are beyond the cover, as may be desired, simply by selecting the appropriate position (24, 25 or 25) at which to attach the tie member 40.

The cover structure Il), and also the body unit 2l4 and tie member 43, may be formed ofany suitable material, such as muslin or other cloth. suitably, the cover I0 may be of annel material while the infants body unit 21 and tie member 40 may be of muslin, or any `desired fiexible sheet material may be employed.

In the use of the improved garmentstructure `shown in Figs. 1 to 4, the cover il] is laid open as indicated in Fig. 2 of the drawing, and the child is4 placed in the body unit. By untying the bows 33, the baby or child may be lowered into the garment unit and his feet will protrude through the openings 36 and 37 the armswill protrude through the armholes 35 and 3l, and the garment unit may be closed by fastening the ties 33. The child after being placed in the garment may be laid on his back or on his stomach in the bed, and the cover l0 may be drawn over the child, with the hem 2D coming'to a position adjacent his neck. Because the buttons 38 Amay be readily attached to the loops 24, with either side of the garment turned upwardly, it is possible to lay the child in the garment on the bed either on its Stomach or on its back. The side flaps I2 and I3 and the end iiap i 4 may be tucked in about the sides, and the corners of the cover may vbe fastened to the corners of a bed or pen by means of the ties 2| to 24 and 39.

In this position, the child is secured in the cover I0, and should he try to crawl headwise from under the cover,` the tie member 40, which is securedbetween the crotch of the body unit and the under side of the sheet ll, will serve to restrain him. However, it will be observed that the child has considerable freedom of movement, and when he turns over, the upper partof the tie member Will turn with him, and vthere is no danger of his becoming entangled with any `of the bed equipment. With this construction, the tie member extending from and attached to the crotch of the body garment, is substantially in alignment with the natural body axis of the child. Thus, when the child turns over in jhis bed, the only effect is to twist slightly the tie member 40, and the childs arms, head and legs are not interfered with. It will be seen that the point of attachment of the securing means (at the crotch of the body unit) is on the longitudinal axis of the childs body and may turn with the child without Wrapping about the child body.

The plait construction in the cover Il) serves to give the child freedom and comfort. With the ties 2| to 24 and 39 drawn tight to the bed frame, the side seams l5, I6 and ll will be drawn taut and will lie even with the surface of the mattress or other surface on which the child lays. However, the plaits I 8 and I9 will expand to permit the extra fullness about the childs body. At the same time, the appearance of the cover will remain neat and without undue wrinkles.

When it is necessary to change a babys diapers, the improved structure will permit easy access, and the attendant may either change the baby in his bed or remove him to another place If the baby is to be changed at the bed, the attendant may simply release the fastening at the buttons 35 and turn up .the backfbody portion 29. This does not disturb the fastening of the tie member 40 either to the body garment 21 or to the sheet I I. On the other hand, if it is desired to change the baby at another place, the attachment of the tie member 40 tothe sheet Il may be released as by unbuttoning the buttons 38 from the loops 24, which leaves the child free to be lifted from the bed.

Figure 5 shows a modified form of body struc ture and tie member which has certain advan tages. As will be seen from the drawing, this simple structure has'the arm openings 50 and 5I, the neck opening 52, and has the back side 53 extending down and attached to the front side 54 by the buttons 55 to thus form a crotch portion. Each of the front and back portions 54 and 53 has extensions which protrude downwardly from the crotch of the body unit to form a tie member 60 comprising the front extension strip 6| and the co-extensive back extension strip 62. The extension strip 6I is provided at its lower end with-the buttons 63 which are adapted to extend through the buttonholes 64 in the end portion of the extension strip 62, and to engage one of the loop series 24, 25 or 2B, in the same way as the buttons 38 of the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 3.

In the use of the body garment illustrated in Fig. 5 in connection with the improved 4cover de-v vice, the Iattendant may unfasten the buttons y63 from the buttonholes 64 and may unfasten the buttons 66 from the buttonholes 6l. This frees the attachment at the crotch portion'and allows the strips 6l and 62 to be thrown back to open the lower end of the garment. The garment, open in this wayy may be slipped down over the childs head so that the childs head passes into the neck opening 52 and his arms into the openings and 5|. The buttons 66 may then be fastened to provide the crotch, and the childs legs will extend through the openings 68 and 69. The buttons 63 may then be passed through the buttonholes 64 and fastened to the loops 24, 25 or26 as described in connection with the embodiment of Fig. 3.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clealness of understanding only and is not intended in a limiting sense. It is understood that many modifications may be constructed and many changes made without departing from the spirit of the'invention.

This application is a continuation-impart of my application Serial No. 442,567, led May 11, 1942, now Patent No. 2,401,026, dated May 28, 1946, and entitled Infants sleeping garment combination.

Iclaim:

1. In an infants sleeping garment structure of the character set forth, a sheet, means for securing the corner portions of the sheet to a bed, a body garment extending about the body of the child and provided with openings through which the legs of the child extend, said body garment having a crotch portion received between the legs of the child and a tie member narrower than said body garment and equal to about half its length, and means for securing the tie member to said sheet at an intermediate point thereon and in line with the longitudinal axis of the childs body.

2. In an infants sleeping garment structure of the character set forth, a sheet, means for securing the corner portions of the sheet to a bed, a body garment extending about the body of the child and provided with openings through which the legs of the child extend, said body garment having a crotch portion received between the legs of the child, a tie member equal in length to about half the length of the garment and being of a width narrower than said garment and lying between the legs of the child, and means securing the lower end of said tie member to said sheet at a central portion thereof and in line with the longitudinal axis of the childs body within said garment.

LIBERA L. STEIGERWALD.

REFERENCES CI'IIED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,241,699 Barnes Oct. 7, 1917 1,573,446 Popham Feb. 16, 1926 1,725,031 Ward Aug. 20, 1929 2,151,434 Malah Mar. 21, 1939 2,230,492 Hilby Feb. 4, 1941 2,374,712 Steigerwald May 1, 1945 2,401,026 Steigerwald May 28, 1946 

